Jesus. An imposing historical character at odds with his poor, humble life. As the gospels record, Jesus’ question of “Who do you say I am?” cuts through all the religious noise and makes its way to the heart of each and every one of us.
As hot cross buns and Easter eggs fill the shelves once again, the question posed centuries ago comes crashing to the fore—“Who do you say Jesus is?”
This Easter, Rebecca McLaughlin enables us to answer this question by first answering four others in her short book, Is Easter Unbelievable?
Is Easter Unbelievable? Four Questions Everyone Should Ask About the Resurrection Story
Is Easter Unbelievable? Four Questions Everyone Should Ask About the Resurrection Story
The resurrection of Jesus from the dead is an extraordinary thing to believe. Such a supernatural event is the stuff of make-believe, many think. Yet millions of Christians around the world believe that Jesus’ resurrection was a real, historical event. Indeed, “if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith” and Christians are “of all people most to be pitied.” (1 Corinthians 15)
In this concise book, respected apologist Rebecca McLaughlin outlines the evidence that Jesus really did rise from the dead and why it’s the best news ever.
Ideal to give away at Easter outreach services and events, as well as to give to new Christians wanting to remind themselves of the evidence for their faith.
In a witty, short and sharp account, McLaughlin poses answers to questions we each need to face as we work out who we believe this historical character is. Is Jesus’ life historical? Is Jesus’ death ethical? Is Jesus’ resurrection credible? Is Jesus’ offer desirable? Is Easter indeed unbelievable?
Who do you say Jesus is?
This book is a fantastic resource to hand to a non-Christian friend along with an Easter-themed chocolate gift or two. It could be handed out at the end of Easter outreach events. And it is also an exceptional read for those of us who have trusted in Jesus for most of our lives. For the evidence McLaughlin provides enables us to give well-thought-out, culturally-relevant, biblical responses to the most common questions we need to be able to answer about who Jesus is.
If the widespread movement of this Jewish rabbi and his motley crew is anything to go by, we can be comforted by the fact God uses the mouths of any who are willing to proclaim the Easter message. As we do, we listen to Peter’s urging to always be “prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.” (1 Pet 3:15) McLaughlin’s book provides us with a concise tool to support us in doing just this.
Is Easter Unbelievable? encourages us that we aren’t alone in our Christian beliefs. It acts to remind us to faithfully hold “fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.” (Hebrews 10:23) As McLaughlin writes,
Of course, the extraordinary spread of Christianity, both numerically and geographically, doesn’t prove that Jesus really rose again. But how a man born into a subjugated ethnic group in an obscure Roman province—who lived poor, died young, who never wrote a book, raised an army, or sat on a throne—has come to be the most impactful human in all human history does require some kind of explanation. (42)
Grab a copy of this quick, easy read (64 pages) and be encouraged by the validity of the good news of Jesus. Then, after reading and digesting a few times, pass it on. For the news of Jesus is incredible and lifegiving. Jesus—the God-man, come to earth to live, die and rise again, saving all who believe in him.
He is both exclusive and inclusive:
… offensively exclusive … [because] he says he is the only way by which humans can be right with God. But Jesus’ claim is also utterly inclusive because he says that anyone who trusts in him can have eternal life. (57)
Let’s broadcast the good news of Jesus to all who have ears to hear and knees to bow, and remind those in our world to consider the question this Easter, “Who do you say Jesus is?”
